Educated privately in Germany,
he returned to Britain on the outbreak of WW1 and enlisted in the Coldstream Guards in August 1914,
being commissioned in January 1916 and transferring to the RFC
later that year. On 24 March 1930 he was seriously
injured whilst flying Virginia VI, J7709 of No 58 Sqn when it crashed during a
night landing. He was married to Maureen Gilliland
Husband at the Chapel Royal, Savoy on 13 September 1919.